Hamas leader says US holds responsibility for Gaza hospital attack

CAIRO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - The United States is responsible for the attack on a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of Palestinians, Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised speech late on Tuesday, stressing that Washington gave Israel "the cover for its aggression."

"The hospital massacre confirms the enemy's brutality and the extent of his feeling of defeat," he said, adding that the attack will be "a new turning point."

Haniyeh called on all Palestinian people "to get out and confront the occupation and the settlers." He also called on all Arabs, and Muslims to stage protests against Israel.

(Reporting By Omar Abdel-Razek; Adam Makary, and Moaz Abd-Alaziz in Cairo, editing by Chizu Nomiyama)